


remember way back when?

by casetrippy



Category: Escape from Furnace - Alexander Gordon Smith
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M, mentions of Zee Hatcher - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-13
Updated: 2015-06-13
Packaged: 2018-04-04 04:08:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4125036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casetrippy/pseuds/casetrippy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Highschool AU - The one where they're both pining real hard, and are equally as oblivious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	remember way back when?

“I mean, if you want to.”

The words jolted Alex immediately. Perhaps it was the slightest clench of his fists in nervousness, or how quickly Donovan's eyes darted afterwards but Alex wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen Donovan so tense mumbling such a simple suggestion.

 

* * *

 

 

Hell, it initially started off innocent enough: Alex inviting Donovan over to play some video games as they whooped their cheers of victory, blasting their music in a way that drove Alex's parents a little up the wall at times. (They wouldn't stay mad for too long though, Donovan at the very least had the decency to look slightly guilty after the fact.) 

But for the most part the ritual was normal, why wouldn’t it be? The two had been friends for a couple years, met when Alex was a simple but nervous freshman and Donovan had taken him under his wing. It didn't take long for Donovan to warm up to Alex, and for Alex to see through the stone faced facade Donovan normally put on. Their friendship only grew from there, the two practically connected by the hip. By now Alex’s parents were used to an extra face at their dinner table, be it Donovan or even Zee every so often. Even Alex was able to exchange a few friendly words with Donovan’s mum a couple of times.

But.

There may have been a small, but considerable issue Alex hadn't completely thought of at the beginning of their friendship.

What came the problem were the certain memories that had been clinging to Alex’s thoughts for the past month. At first, it was only the most recent mundane events. Trading drinks at lunch. Slipping Donovan yet another damn eraser during class. Dumb bets over making a shot into the bin across the room. As the days passed more impressionable memories would start to weave their way into these moments, before overtaking them whole. Like the amused yet increasingly confused expression on Donovan's face as Alex and Zee combined their shitty memories to summarize the prequel Star Wars trilogy. Venting to Donovan on the walk home, who would either hesitantly offer helpful advice with a shrug, or shake his head in disbelief and amicably call Alex a dumbass. Or, the too quick slight anxious hitch in Donovan's voice when he cut off any of Alex's requests to go to Donovan's home.

These days what came to Alex's mind would come and go in a split second, yet still found a way to throw off his entire train of thought. The way Donovan’s charming smile dimpled his cheeks, small touches that seemed to linger, a tuneful deep voice like velvet and, god, a laugh Alex could never forget.

Alex Sawyer never considered a crush to be a part of the equation, and if you asked him, he would say he had it under control

(When asked Zee Hatcher this question in a confidential trusted whisper, Zee said: “Uh huh, yeah Alex. You keep saying what you want but you’ve got  _that look_  on your face when you think you’re not being obvious. Jeez, next thing you know your notebooks are gonna be covered with hearts that say ‘Mr. Alex Donovan-Sawyer’. C'mon, don’t kick me like that, I ain’t the lovesick one!”)

So maybe Alex kept holding onto those thoughts longer than he planned. It didn't hurt anyone and Donovan didn't seem to know. Unfortunately, it also seemed Donovan didn't think of Alex the same way. In fact, there was just a little bit more space between the two of them, a few more forced smiles from Donovan who'd keep his arms tightly crossed as if he were perpetually cold. It was a couple degrees above Donovan flat out ignoring him, reserved for when Alex well and done truly fucked up.

But this awkward dance around? It was unnerving, and Alex didn't know what to make of it.

Until now that is. It had been a lazy Saturday that left Alex chewing on his bottom lip while texting Donovan to come over. It wasn't his smoothest attempt to try to find a way to talk to Donovan about whatever it is _they are_ now. In the six minutes it took Donovan to reply, Alex fidgeted with his hair and his phone and had already begun running down the list of possibilities to bring their situation up and how each scenario could go wrong.

The wait felt even more uncomfortable in the time it took for Donovan to arrive. But when the front door was opened to reveal Donovan scuffing his shoe on the door step, with the smallest yet the most genuine shy grin Alex had seen in days, it was hard to not let his anxiousness melt in such comfortable familiarity. 

Then the pair had been sat side by side on Alex’s bed for a good half hour, absolute rubbish playing on the TV. Neither of them made a move to switch the channel, Alex was half paid attention to what was on, half attention finding itself back where it kept defaulting to these days. Donovan had the remote in his hands, idly rubbing his thumb over the channel changing button but eyes half lidded and not quite focused on anything in front of him.

The program snapped off abruptly, a high frequency ringing in the sudden silence before beginning to die out as Donovan straightened his back. He looked straight ahead, but after a couple of blinks he seemed a little more in tune. Noticing this, Alex shifted in his spot to give all his attention to Donovan, who opened and closed his mouth almost ready to speak but not quite finding the words to do so. 

"You..." Donovan let out a steady breath. "You remember that time you, me, and Zee all tried sneaking out of gym class? 'Cept it didn't work because of what's his face, Jimmy? He snitched on us about get out of the locker room just as he got out of the toilets." Alex raised a brow, trying to see where that story was going.

"Man, he must've hated that class more than us so when he saw us just ready to waltz on outta there." Donovan paused. "Boy, could say he must've been _pissed_." Apparently that was enough to send Donovan choked up with hysterical laughter. Alex groaned, shoving his friend onto his back as Donovan laid giggling. "God, Alex, Alex, do you remember that? Do you?"

"Dude, where are you coming up with this crap?"

"Alex, fuck, do you remember when Monty made that fancy lunch for us 'cause we all were flunking hospitality? Oh man, that was the best."

"What are you getting at?"

Donovan had clamped his hands over his mouth, stifling his laughter as his eyes squeezed tight, a couple of tears slipped out from the corners of his eyes. He laid like that for a second, then ran his hands through his hair, an awkward half-smile, half-grimace on his face, breath hitching. He kept his eyes shut as Alex was sat full alert, cautious to proceed. Donovan spoke up again, his voice slightly quieter and warbled, "D'you remember first time we hung out after class? I don't know if you do but man, don't think you know how much that got to me."

"Donovan," Alex whispered. He watched Donovan calm down slowly, who still refused to open his eyes. Flexing his fingers for a second, Alex reached out towards Donovan's face, gently swiping a tear from the corner of his eye. Donovan didn't seem to react, his breathing still shaky. The lack of response amplified the noises Alex could hear, Donovan's deep breaths, his own heart beat, footsteps in the floors beneath him. Somewhere in the distance he could have sworn he heard sirens.

Donovan spoke up again. "You really got me man. Didn't even know you that well to begin with, and you got me." 

"I got you. You know that right?" At this, Donovan opened his eyes, rimmed with red and shining so brightly, still caught somewhere distant and wistful. Concern creased Alex's brow and his lips were pressed to a thin line. But the look in eye was an encouragement for Donovan to finish what he had to say. "You know what I realized Alex, thinking about all that back then though? 

“I... Really wouldn’t mind kissing you, y'know? I mean, if you want to.”

Which brings things up to date. Currently now, Donovan was holding eye contact while trying his best and failing to keep a straight face. His hands clenched into fists, his eyes then darted away in embarrassment. The last of his hysterical outburst was ebbing away slowly, and while there was an occasional sniff, Donovan was silent. Waiting.

Alex was frozen. This was it.

Slowly, he slid his hand down to stroke Donovan's cheek and said nothing. Alex managed to catch eyes once more.

They were both so tired. There's no use getting lost in memory now.

Taking in a shaky breath, Alex grinned. "I think I’d like that.”

With just the confession Alex could feel the weight of pining for so long lift off his shoulders. He damn felt just about light headed from it all. Guessing from the wide eyed stare he was getting from Donovan, it looked like he wasn't the only one. Donovan's smile lit his entire face up, biting into his bottom lip as his dark eyes softened, radiant as ever.

“Really had me going for a second,” Alex heard Donovan mumble before getting pulled down tight into an embrace and hearing light laughter in his ears. The giddiness was back, this time overwhelmingly light and hopeful and Alex couldn't help but join in too.

When the giggles died down, the two exchanged a long look at each other, gauging the other's reaction. Alex caught Donovan's gaze flicking down at his mouth before meeting his eye again. There was a little bit of nervousness left in that look, but mostly tenderness and an appreciative awe.

“…You really want to?”

“Just said I’d like that.”

There wasn’t anything movie worthy of that first attempt, chins bumping and noses squished a little. However, they had all the time in the world to keep practising as much as they needed. Even just the closeness, the little sighs, and just finally getting what they wanted for so long was well worth the wait. 

As they broke away, Alex rested his forehead against Donovan’s, closing his eyes. He felt a hand hesitantly grab onto one of his own, and heard Donovan chuckle quietly. “Look at what you did, making me feel like a sappy romantic fool.”

**Author's Note:**

> tbh wanted to do something along the lines of awkward teenage crushes + something happy for these two so voila
> 
> edit: its 3 AM and for some reason i flushed this fic out more the word count was like 700 now its 1700 so here u go


End file.
